The present invention relates to a modular safety and security device (SASD) controlled by a cellular phone that can be used in conjunction with an unmanned platform or its docking-station peripherals. In most instances, the unmanned platform will be an aerial vehicle (UAV) but it can, in fact, be any autonomous device.
Everyday, people are exposed to circumstances in which personal safety may be jeopardized: strolling on city sidewalks, hurrying to one's car at night, looking for one's car in a parking garage, jogging on an isolated road, walking the dog at night, getting lost outdoors, taking a short cut on a deserted road, getting waylaid by a vicious dog, hearing footsteps behind you, being stalked, waiting for help after a car breaks down, making a wrong turn in a dangerous neighborhood, or simply being alone or unprotected at home or in a building. Private property is similarly exposed to criminal acts ranging from thievery and vandalism to defacement and destruction—all of which exact a toll on one's sense of well-being. The frequency of crime in unexpected venues cannot be underestimated. Statistically 33% of women in the USA will be violently victimized at least once in their lifetimes. Another 8% will be stalked. The Justice Department counted 4.9 million violent crimes involving over 2.7 million victims in 2010. The FBI's Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that 3 million persons experienced at least one violent attack in 2013. The Justice Department estimates there were over 467,000 firearm victims in 2011. Kids Fighting Chance, a children's advocacy group, reports one child is abducted or reported missing every 40 minutes or 800,000 times per year. In addition, Safeguard the World, a home security company, estimates there are presently 2.5 million home intrusions a year in the USA, and that one-third of residential burglaries results in a personal assault. Thieves are rarely caught in the act; 13% of burglaries result in a conviction. While home security systems are a proven deterrent, only 17% of U.S. households use them.
According to criminal deterrence theory, an attack occurs after the criminal makes a risk-reward benefit analysis. He will act if the benefit outweighs expected consequence. Personal security statistics confirm this finding: criminals typically bypass an intended victim who raises attention or can identify them. Criminals also know the chances that the police will be in earshot during an attack are low.
Calls to the police are insufficient for deterrence. Most callers assume that law enforcement will respond before a criminal act occurs. Statistics indicate otherwise. Law enforcement rarely breaks up a street crime. The U.S. Justice Department estimates that just 12% of stalkers and 6% of rapists are caught in the act. More often than not, the police role is pursuit, investigation and witness for prosecution of the criminal act. For these reasons and more, people today need a personal security companion.
The present invention has particular usefulness in deterring damage, defacement, and destruction of public and private property. According to NoGraf Network, a national consortium of police agencies dedicated to ending vandalism, monitoring, detecting, removing and repairing graffiti damage is estimated to cost $15 billion to $18 billion a year. Similar disfigurement of watercraft, buildings, and machinery by avian droppings is a persistent problem annually costing tens of millions of dollars to clean up as well as posing significant health threats. While on-site cameras are often deployed in such locations to communicate incidents, their fields of view are limited and fixed. On the other hand, a UAV with appropriate defense mechanisms is capable of addressing the threat in real time while simultaneously streaming video of vandals and frequency/location of attacks to appropriate authorities.
The present invention is in the field of safety and threat deterrence and more particularly for personal and property protective devices that can be mounted and/or integrated on an unmanned aerial vehicle or its docking station peripherals, particularly as combined with cellular telephones, wearable computing, or other computing devices. Its particular functionality is achieved when a cellular phone is wirelessly connected to a suite of safety and security devices, mounted or integrated on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or onto its docking station. No matter where housed, the envisioned device provides wireless detection, warnings, notifications, alarms, and self-defense mechanisms to deter crime, vandalism and/or defacement of property by humans or wildlife.
The prior art known to Applicants takes advantage of the latest technology made available by battery-powered cellular phones. This includes telephony, the ability to capture pictures, videos and audio, Global Positioning System (GPS) location capabilities, and the ability to run software applications on built-in processing units. Some prior art inventions disclose holders, attachments and cases for cellular phones that allow additional personal safety devices to be physically linked to the cellular phone. This makes the combined device bulkier, heavier and less useful as a cellular phone. Some of them provide for personal safety device activation once a panic button is pushed, but the integration is incomplete. Other disclosures include voice-activated panic buttons but, as is well known, human voice under stress cannot always be understood, even by voice recognition software.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2008/0064339, Mar. 13, 2008, to Cavalier, describes a personal safety device formed by combining a modified cellular telephone with a personal protective spray, such as pepper spray. Activation of the spray causes the cellular telephone to automatically alert emergency response personnel and provides them with cellular phone location via GPS in the phone. It requires modification of the cellular phone and does not work in conjunction with other personal safety devices over a local network or in conjunction with an UAV.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,472,915, Jun. 25, 2013, to DiPerna et al., also describes a cellular phone with personal protective spray and a panic button. When the button is activated, the personal protective spray is released and the phone records audio and/or video for transmission, transmits the data to emergency response personnel, and provides them with cellular phone location via GPS in the phone. It requires attaching devices to the phone or modification of the cellular phone and does not work in conjunction with other personal safety devices over a local network or in conjunction with an UAV.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2007/0293186, Dec. 20, 2007, to Lehmann, describes a portable device that includes the ability to biometrically identify the user. The portable device can be a cellular phone with integrated cameras, sound recorders, and/or biometric authentication mechanisms and utilizes GPS to determine geographic location. Data communication in the form of GPS location data, messages, videos, pictures, etc. can be performed over many types of networks including local area networks (LANs). LANs however, are not meant for personal area network use. Lehmann's invention does not work in conjunction with other personal safety devices over a personal area network or in conjunction with an UAV.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2010/0283609, Nov. 11, 2010, to Remer, describes a personal safety system that provides image, audio, and data capture of a perpetrator of a crime against the user. Data is stored at a secure remote location. The device alerts the perpetrator that the information has been captured, thus discouraging the crime. Remer's invention does not work in conjunction with other personal safety devices over a personal area network or in conjunction with an UAV.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2012/0299711, Nov. 29, 2012, to Manning, describes a personal safety and alarm system including a siren/strobe light, and a pepper spray container in a holder. The holder can be detached. The holder can reside on a stand or be placed in a pocket. Manning's invention does not work in conjunction with other personal safety devices over a personal area network or in conjunction with an UAV.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2013/0040596, Feb. 14, 2013, to Paim et al., describes a method that allows a smartphone user to easily and properly share his status during distress situations with people who can better help him contextually and reliably. The Paim et al. invention, while utilizing many network methods, does not work in conjunction with other personal safety devices over a personal area network or in conjunction with an UAV.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2013/0257612, Oct. 3, 2013, to Finet, describes a personal alert/safety system worn by a user. An accelerometer in the system detects movement and controls an alarm device. The Finet invention does not use a cellular device and does not work in conjunction with other personal safety devices over a personal area network or in conjunction with an UAV.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2013/0260825, Oct. 3, 2013, to Hagenstad, describes many of the previously described components. The cellular phone has a panic button that can activate audio and video recording, start a siren, flash lights and contact emergency personnel with GPS location data. These capabilities can also be deployed in an attachable cellular phone case. The Hagenstad invention does not work in conjunction with other personal safety devices over a personal area network or in conjunction with an UAV.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,645, Jan. 8, 1991, to Abboud, describes a stun gun and irritant ejecting spray combination. The Abboud invention does not work over a personal area network or in conjunction with an UAV.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,466,795, Jun. 18, 2013, U.S. Pat. No. 8,149,124, Apr. 3, 2012, U.S. Pat. No. 6,624,754, Sep. 23, 2003 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,239,700, May 29, 2001 to Hoffman et al., describe a signaling system that provides an alarm for an individual in distress, combined with a locating and tracking system, possibly by cellular phone, to alert and direct appropriate personnel to the needs of the individual in distress and to monitor the location of that individual. The system includes a portable signaling unit, a remote alarm switch device, a central dispatch station, and makes use of a wireless communication system. The portable signaling unit and the remote alarm switch may be adapted to be worn at different locations on the person's body. The remote alarm switch may be concealed in the form of a wristband or in the form of any other object such as a broach, pendant, or keychain. Even though a wireless remote is described that is separate from the cellular phone, nowhere is it mentioned that the wireless remote contains other personal safety devices nor do these devices work over a personal area network or in conjunction with an UAV.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2014/0254896 discloses a system and method for delivering mail and goods using a mobile robot UAV system. The method may comprise self-moving the mobile robot drone system to a mail or goods receiving location. The robot may offer security for the delivered goods. It does not provide personal security or property protection.
Published Application No. WO2014080387 discloses a rescue UAV for rescuing an idle UAV consisting of an adjustable length hook to engage with the idle UAV, to carry it away, an L-shaped metallic tool to push the idle drone away from the middle of the road, or to help in repositioning it so a hook can be engaged, along with an emergency light to assist while hovering over the idle UAV located in a road, an electric shock stick, deployable against a person approaching the idle UAV with intent to steal it, a speaker and camera to assist a security person in a command center to assess the case, talk with and warn any person with intent to steal the idle UAV, or to advise and guide a volunteer who is trying to help and assist in rescuing the idle UAV. It does not provide personal security or property protection.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2010/0279649 discloses multiple devices combined together and connected by a cellular phone for security and law enforcement purposes. It does not describe an UAV-based personal safety device.